Junior forward Nicole Leach battles for possession with an Ohio State player during the first half of yesterday’s game. The Flashes lost 5-2. Jessica M. Kanalas | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

The Kent State field hockey team lost to its third nationally ranked opponent this season yesterday, falling 5-2 to No. 20 Ohio State.

Sophomore forward Debbie Bell provided the game’s first excitement with a goal in the later part of the first half on a cross from junior forward Nicole Leach.

The Flashes’ lead didn’t last, as Ohio State answered in the last five minutes of the first half with two unassisted goals by freshman forward Berta Queralt, one off a tough rebound and another on a breakaway from midfield, to end the half with a 2-1 lead.

The Buckeyes took less than two minutes at the beginning of the second half to add to their lead when sophomore forward Maria Briones scored an unassisted goal from four yards out.

Buckeyes’ junior forward Jena Cacciatore padded Ohio State’s lead with some help from an assist from Queralt in the 44th minute.

Junior midfielder Rachel Miller scored her fourth goal of the season off a penalty corner, bringing Kent State within two goals of the Buckeyes. Leach and senior midfielder Allison Kittelberger assisted on the play.

Despite action in front of the Buckeyes’ net, the Flashes couldn’t manage to shrink the lead anymore. The referees called back a Kent State goal midway through the second half, which would have made the score 4-3, and issued the team a penalty corner instead.

The Flashes were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, scoring off one of their eight penalty corners in the game.

“We did enough to win today,” Kent State coach Kathleen Schanne said. “The difference came down to us not consistently taking advantage of our chances.”

Cacciatore added another Buckeye unassisted goal from six yards out to bring the game’s final score of 5-2 in Ohio State’s favor.

Freshman goalkeeper Kristin Willders, the reigning Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week, had five saves compared to four by Ohio State senior goalkeeper Lindsay Quintiliani, last week’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.

The Flashes managed to score two goals on an Ohio State team that has allowed one goal or fewer in four of its six games.

Kent State has been working on putting together two consistent halves of field hockey all season. The Flashes put together two good halves yesterday, but the Buckeyes’ offense proved to be too much for Kent State’s defense to handle.

With the loss, Kent State has lost four of its last five games. The Flashes (3-5) will next begin MAC play Sept. 25 against Missouri State.

Contact sports correspondent Jake Kauffman at [email protected].